Two Years Left for Moon Administration, Accelerating 'Supply Expansion'... Why the Democratic Party Raised Golf Course Housing Issue

Utilizing Taereung Golf Course Could Supply 20,000 Households... Up to 100,000 Units if Other Government-Owned Golf Courses Are Also Used
Falling Moon Administration Approval Ratings Raise Concerns Over Next Presidential Election 'Landmine'
Industry Says "Feasibility Needs to Be Assessed"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Wondara and Lee Chunhee] "Projects like the 3rd New Towns take 5 to 10 years. The Moon Jae-in administration has only 2 years left. We need places where housing can be supplied quickly."

This is the background behind the Democratic Party's discussion on the 17th about "building permanent rental housing on military golf courses." Kim Jin-pyo, a Democratic Party lawmaker on the National Defense Committee, expressed this view at a Democratic Party members' meeting held at the National Assembly on the 1st. This proposal by Kim was also brought up during a closed-door party-government meeting on the 15th. Since real estate policy is a 'trigger' for the Moon Jae-in administration's approval ratings and the next presidential election, it is analyzed that a speed strategy could be pursued.

Golf courses on government-owned land include Taereung Golf Course in Nowon-gu, Seoul, as well as 88CC in Giheung, Gyeonggi Province, and New Seoul CC in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, which is a golf course under a public corporation affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Other sites discussed include the Korea Military Academy grounds, the 56th Division in Eunpyeong-gu under the Capital Defense Command, and the reserve forces training site in Naegok-dong, Gangnam-gu. Yoon Kwan-seok, senior deputy chairman of the Democratic Party Policy Committee, told reporters the day before, "We will review everything the military has."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Democratic Party believes that utilizing these government sites could supply housing faster compared to the still 'early review stage' 3rd New Towns. Typically, for new town development, public land designation requires explanatory meetings and public hearings, and after designation, compensation payments are necessary. If there is local opposition during this process, project delays are highly likely. Additionally, broad transportation measures connecting new land and urban areas are needed.

Kim's office said, "Measures proposed by the Ministry of Land and other government bodies, such as the 3rd New Towns, take a lot of time?5 to 10 years?but the Moon Jae-in administration has only 2 years left." They added, "We need places where housing can be supplied a bit faster." They continued, "A construction company’s feasibility study on Taereung Golf Course showed that 20,000 housing units could be built on an 18-hole basis, and drainage facilities and surrounding transportation network construction time could be reduced." They also said, "The study results indicated that housing could be developed at around 4 to 5 million KRW per pyeong," and explained, "Since Taereung is close to the center of Seoul, it can meet the demand of young people and newlyweds."

Taereung Golf Course covers an area of 1,496,979 square meters, which is quite large compared to major complexes in Seoul such as Helio City in Songpa-gu (400,000㎡, 9,510 households) and Dunchon Jugong reconstruction in Gangdong-gu (620,000㎡, 12,032 households). When combined with New Seoul and 88CC, it is analyzed that about 100,000 housing units could be provided. Unlike the 3rd New Towns, there is no need to supply separate self-sufficient land, so a large amount of housing supply is possible.

Another advantage is that there is no need to consider lifting the controversial Greenbelt zone designation. Kim Sang-jo, Chief Presidential Secretary for Policy, appeared on KBS radio that morning and said, "It is the government's role to resolve controversies," adding, "We will coordinate differences between the central government and local governments, but if there is no way to ease local residents' opposition, it cannot be done." This reaffirmed the party-government stance on reviewing Greenbelt lifting measures.

However, the real estate industry remains cautious about feasibility. Unlike Taereung, other public sites are located far from Seoul, so some point out that there is little difference from existing real estate supply policies. Lee Eun-hyung, senior researcher at the Korea Construction Policy Institute, said, "In terms of location, Taereung and Seongnam are quite favorable, but for places like 88CC in Yongin or New Seoul CC in Gwangju, while the number of housing units will increase, the effectiveness is questionable. These are outer metropolitan areas with poor current transportation conditions, so accessibility to Seoul is likely to be low."

An industry insider said, "Recently, various measures have been proposed without inter-ministerial coordination, and the key is whether this plan has been agreed upon with the Ministry of National Defense," adding, "If it faces opposition from the Ministry of National Defense, it could be even more difficult than new towns." Moon Hong-sik, deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, stated regarding the meeting between the two ministers, "There was no mention of any specific area related to military idle land; the discussion was at a general level."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.